60 Things To Do This Summer in Bury St Edmunds

1. Visit Moyse’s Hall Museum and see the exhibition Prehistoric Beasts: Land, Sea, Sky Now’s your chance to look up into the jaws of a Tyrannosaurus, swim with a Plesiosaur, meet a Velociraptor, Triceratops, Iguanodon and if it’s feeding time, you may even meet a pet T-Rex! West Suffolk Heritage Service, in partnership with the Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences and Paleoartist Alex Pritchard of ‘Dinosaur Skeletons’, are excited to present real and cast specimens of dinosaurs, sea reptiles and more, so prepare for a prehistoric takeover!

2. Enjoy a summer walk in the flower meadows and woodlands of Nowton Park - take a wander in the winding maze and hopefully find your way out again!

3. Explore culinary delights and spark your senses at one of Bury St Edmunds' gastronomic experiences in Suffolk's Foodie Town.

4. Step inside the wondrous hidden gardens of Bury St Edmunds on 29 June; Bury St Edmunds has many fine and historic buildings, but Hidden Gardens gives people the chance to discover 30 gardens featuring secret patios, lawns, borders, vegetable gardens, greenhouses and other features behind their facades and high walls.

5. Visit St Edmundsbury Cathedral and shake it off at The Music Of Taylor Swift By Candlelight on Saturday 12 July 2025 at 7:30pm; a unique way to enjoy the music of this iconic pop legend and multi Grammy award winning singer songwriter. The perfect night out for the ‘Swifie’ in your life.

6. Grab a burger and test your knowledge at Queen's Bar and Grill quiz night. On the first Wednesday of the month, gather a team of up to six people and for just £2 per person you can be in with a chance of victory…and prizes including a giant cookie and a gift voucher.

7. Uncover Suffolk's smallest town on the self-guided Clare Town Trail. A new self-guided outdoor trail with 28 places of interest on the trail which introduces visitors to important architecture and heritage of the historic market town.

8. Take in a show at The Apex! There’s loads to pick from this summer, including soul singer Rebecca Ferguson, Jazz vocalist Clare Teal, and musical theatre legend Lee Mead. Take in the percussive guitar styles of Newton Faulkner or modern folk stylings of singer-songwriter Grace Petrie. With comedy from Lou Sanders, Omid Djalli, and political impressionist Rory Bremnner you’ll find giggles aplenty whatever your tastes.

9. Take in a show at The Theatre Royal Bury. Enjoy slapstick comedy in A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception, join Paul Coulter for hilarious historical storytelling in 5 Mistakes That Changed History or go and see Handbagged - a fiercely funny play that wonders what might have happened when Margaret Thatcher and the Queen conversed in the privacy of the palace.

12. Experience the Cathedral from on high! A Tower tour includes facts and figures about the Millennium Project, which saw the building of the Tower and vault (completed in 2010). As a reward for climbing the 202 steps, you get to peep ‘behind the scenes’ and can enjoy views across the Bury St Edmunds skyline. This is a great value tour, lasting about 1 hour 15 minutes. Tours run on Wednesdays at 2pm and Saturdays at 10.30am.

13. Creative thinking, problem solving and battling against the clock, are you ready to take on the escape room challenge at The Evidence Room? With three escape rooms on offer, each designed to test your logic, teamwork and patience, you’ll need to have your wits about you as nothing is quite as it seems.

14. Explore beneath the surface and go pond-dipping at National Trust Melford Hall. Take your wellies and small tub, use your net to scoop gently in the water and then observe all the tiny pond-life that lives there.

15. Pack your picnics, grab your umbrella or sun-cream (or both!) and watch an open-air performance in the Abbey Gardens, Brandon Park and West Stow Country Park. This summer you can enjoy The Tale of Jemima Puddleduck, The Secret Garden, Perseus and Andromeda, War of the Worlds, The Wizard of Oz and Frakenstein.

16. Alfresco Dining - eating outside in summer is the best! There are so many beautiful outside spaces to dine in Bury St Edmunds and the surrounding area; Damson and Wilde have a gloriously sunny courtyard, Folk Cafe offers a rustic and relaxed outdoor area and Pilgrim’s Kitchen has a walled garden offering shelter and sunshine in the summer months.

17. Step back in time and uncover the powerful stories of the soldiers of the Suffolk Regiment through medals, uniforms, photographs, weapons, equipment and personal memorabilia at the Suffolk Regiment Museum.

18. Get stuck in at Kentwell Hall’s Hands on History event, The whole Manor steps back in time to show many aspects of everyday life 500 years ago. You can see, hear, touch and smell 16th Century Tudor Suffolk brought to life by Kentwell Hall’s skilled living historians. Try your hand at some of the skills and tasks that made up daily life; from kneading bread, to dancing, churning butter, spinning wool or even making herbal remedies, you’ll spend a whole day lost in the past.

19. Get the kids involved in workshops at ‘Horseplay’ at the National Horse Racing Museum with creative workshops every Wednesday, all inspired by the new horseracing board game exhibition, HORSEPLAY. Workshops include clay modelling, printmaking, t-shirt printing, and much more! These sessions run on a drop-in basis from 11am to 3pm on selected dates.

20. Be sure to pop along to the Bury St Edmunds Food and Drink Festival where you can see exciting demos from renowned chefs, browse the farmers’ market and sample delicious food at a variety of stalls.

21. Don’t miss a tour of Greene King Brewery. Enter the 1930’s tower brewery and hear all about the brewing process and the history of Greene King.Then head to the café to taste some of the wares!

22. Film buffs - make your way to Abbeygate Cinema or Cineworld in the town and grab a popcorn. Abbeygate Cinema is a charming independent establishment which dates back to the 1920s and shows the latest blockbusters alongside arthouse films and special showings, while Cineworld has the latest releases.

23. Enjoy a day or two just shopping in Bury St Edmunds. It's the perfect place for retail therapy! While away the time exploring the 200 stores that line the picturesque medieval streets, and elegant Georgian squares. From clothes to kitchenware, shopping in Bury St Edmunds offers something for everyone - all within an easy walking distance in beautiful surroundings. As well as favourite High Street brands, Bury St Edmunds has a host of independent and individual shops that you won't find anywhere else.

24. West Stow Country Park's Beowulf and Grendel Trail is an intriguing walk to keep youngsters occupied while learning history and legends. The trail is self-guided and free!

25. Take a tour of the ancient library at St Edmundsbury Cathedral, with over 550 rare books printed in the 16th and 17th century, a friendly guide will tell you all about the history of this incredible collection.

26. Visit the National Horseracing Museum in Newmarket and take a journey through the rich tapestry of British horseracing. Situated on a historic 5-acre estate, the museum encompasses three main attractions: the National Horseracing Museum housed in the Trainer’s House and King’s Yard Galleries, the Fred Packard Museum and Galleries of British Sporting Art in Palace House, and the Rothschild Yard, home to the Retraining of Racehorses charity . Visitors can explore interactive exhibits detailing the sport's history, admire an impressive collection of sporting art, and meet retired racehorses undergoing retraining.

27. Take a wander around beautiful Lavenham. With its Tudor houses, crooked, half-timbered cottages and 15th Century Wool church, it’s easy to understand why the streets of Lavenham have been used as background for TV and films including Lovejoy and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

28. Enjoy a guided tour around Gifford's Hall Vineyard where their knowledgeable guides will talk you through the grapes they grow and the pruning and trellising techniques they use.

29. Take a walking tour of Bury St Edmunds with the Bury St Edmunds Tour Guides or book onto one of the new Food & Drink Tours!

30. Let your curiosity guide you as you discover the stunning Fullers Mill Garden at West Stow - this enchanting and tranquil waterside and woodland garden is a magical place for lovers of all things horticultural.

31. Enjoy a morning wandering round over 70 stalls jam-packed with wares from local makers and producers. From jewellery, candles and wood turning to baked goods, bath products, upcycled fashion, ceramics and more, you’ll find plenty to fill your basket at Bury St Edmunds Makers Market on the first Sunday of every month.

32. See all the greats at the ‘Nearly Festival’ at Bury St Edmunds’ Abbey Gardens in June. This year the region’s number 1 touring tribute band festival features leading tributes to Dua Lipa, Bob Marley, Dolly Parton, Elvis, Queen, Oasis and much more!

33. Described as “one of Britain’s finest ancient woodlands”, Bradfield Woods Nature Reserve is home to 24 resident species of butterfly as well as birds and mammals too; the garden warbler and blackcap, stoats, yellow-necked mouse and badgers - the perfect place for a butterfly hunt and bird watching.

34. Visit Bury St Edmunds Farmers Market on the second Sunday of every month. Pick up some gorgeous local produce and take a wander around in the sunshine to gain inspiration for your supper.

35. Life is better on wheels at CurveMotion, why not put your skates on and take to the rink with friends and family for a bit of high speed fun! On selected Fridays enjoy ‘Late Skate and Play’ from 4 until 8pm.

36. Discover the Bury St Edmunds Ale Trail featuring 23 pubs and bars including Britain's smallest pub, The Nutshell.

37. Voted one of the best landmark sites in Britain by BBC Countryfile Magazine, you can pay a visit to Suffolk's oldest working water mill- Pakenham Water Mill. On Sunday 22nd June, The Mill is hosting ‘Vintage Power Day’ with old vehicles, a brass band, BBQ, bar & refreshments, as well as milling demonstrations throughout the day.

38. Pick up a racket and play tennis at the Abbey Gardens Tennis Courts.

39. Visit the only surviving WW2 Operations Room of the Royal Observer Corps at Bury St Edmunds Guildhall– an unsung group of local heroes who were the ‘eyes and ears of the RAF’ during the Battle of Britain. Their story has been hidden behind a veil of secrecy for over 80 years, but now it’s all been declassified for you to explore.

40. Budding historians should head to one of the oldest buildings in Lavenham, Little Hall. This 14th century house has been witness to many changing fortunes within Lavenham. Originally built for a family of clothiers, it then was extended in Tudor times and has more recently been restored by the Gayer-Anderson brothers. Don’t forget to take a stroll around the beautiful gardens which combine a knot-garden with a traditional walled English garden.

41. Visit the special Kentwell Hall - a stunning Tudor house that stands within the most extensive moat in the county and nearly 30 acres of formal gardens and grounds. The building itself has a fascinating history and has been transformed and restored since its purchase in 1970. The house offers the visitor a journey through time from the Great Tudor Kitchen to the Gothic centre block to the State bedroom that was created by Thomas Hopper in the 1820s.

42. Tolkienists and Ringers unite and take a tour of Middle Earth in West Stow.

43. See how many birds you can spot in the aviary at the Abbey Gardens, the 9th most visited free attraction in England!

44. Explore the historic Long Melford with its small boutiques, historic pubs, antiques shops and charming tea rooms.

45. Back for its 33rd year, the East Anglian Beer & Cider Festival will take place in the beautiful cathedral. Boasting over 250 real ales and 40 ciders, food stalls and a sound stage; it’s time to eat, drink and be merry!

48. Take part in a Dragon and Damselfly walk at West Stow Anglo Saxon Village. Join us at West Stow to explore the world of these fascinating creatures as they start to emerge across the Country Park! Take a guided walk along the River Lark with Adrian Parr, the County Dragonfly Recorder and find out what these amazing insects like to eat, where they live and much, much more.

49. See behind the scenes at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds on a Theatre Tour- a vibrant 200-year-old theatre and the last remaining working Regency playhouse in the country. Step on up and into the spotlight where the likes of Ian McKellan CBE, Dame Judi Dench DBE, Sir Peter Hall CBE and many more have gone before you. You’ll even get to tread the boards yourself!

51. Enjoy Paddington Bear on the big screen at National Trust Ickworth Park, House & Gardens. It’s the perfect alfresco entertainment- set within the Italian inspired grounds and against the grand backdrop of the Rotunda, you won’t want to miss out on a truly unique cinematic experience.

52. Enjoy a fabulous evening of Jazz with Embraceable Ella, a fantastic tribute to Ella Fitzgerald at The Hunter Club in Bury St Edmunds.

53. The ideal place for a family day out, head to National Trust Ickworth and make the most of the new cycle hire facilities; Bikes range from balance bikes for the little ones up to adult bikes, plus there are trailers available as well as helmets if you don’t have your own.

54. Catch the Royal Air Force Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's Lancaster flying over Rougham Control Tower Museum on Saturday 22 June! Whilst there, pay a visit to the museum; an award-winning Museum dedicated to preserving the memory of all who served with the 8th USAAF at RAF Bury St Edmunds during WW2, housed in the original control tower and other period buildings.

55. There's something for all members of the family to enjoy with Ickworth's Oytdoor Cinema programme running from 4-6 July. Snuggle up with a blanket in front of the big screen and enjoy films including Paddington, In Bruges, The Italian Job, Moana 2, Mamma Mia, The Sound of Music, The Little Mermaid and Midnight in Paris.

56. The East Anglian Storytelling Festival on 31 May & 1 June sees storytellers from across the region sharing wild tales in celebration of nature and the land across Suffolk nature reserves. Join Tilly Talespinner for stories inspired by Lackford Lakes.

57. Hop in the car and visit The Food Museum; located in Stowmarket, the museum is set across 75 acres of glorious Suffolk countryside, with 17 fascinating historic buildings to explore and a collection of over 40,000 objects. You can see working demonstrations of milling inside mid-18th century Alton Water, visit the demonstration kitchen and sample the day’s offerings, or join a tour of the Dairy Cottages.

58. Enjoy outdoor adventures, off-road driving, quad biking, archery and more at Explore 4x4!

59. Music-lovers can look forward to a great day out this summer on 29 June, as the Bury St Edmunds Folk Festival once again brings its own brand of magic to Nowton Park. A family friendly day of music with the best of the region’s live acts plus sessions, singarounds, open stage and kids activities. Great food, real ale bar, craft stalls and the beautiful setting of the Walled Garden in Nowton Park.

60. Watch as a love story unfolds across Bury St Edmunds in Steve & Steff For Ever, a unique promenade theatre production.

For even more things to do this summer, check out our What's On Guide!